About PIRT

The Palestinian Initiative for Responsible Tourism (PIRT) is a network of organisations, associations and public bodies committed to advocate and work for responsible tourism in the Holy Land. The network is open and can be joined by individuals and local institutions, organisations, associations and companies who agree with the vision statement of the Initiative. Our joint effort focuses both on analysing the tourism industry in the occupied territories by identifying the difficulties and threats that the occupation imposes on tourism and on discussing the difficulties and the internal problems that tourism in Palestine is suffering from.

The Origin of PIRT

In June 2007, representatives of the following non-governmental organisations and institutions, Holy Land Trust, Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies, Alternative Tourism Group, Network for Christian Organisations in Bethlehem, Joint Advocacy Initiative, Jerusalem Inter-Church Center and Bethlehem University, gathered and launched a consultation process to identify issues and challenges created by tourism in the local context. Two months later, the group founded the Palestinian Initiative for Responsible Tourism (PIRT), an initiative open to all who are committed to transform tourism in Palestine to benefit the local communities, to enable encounters between tourists and host communities and to struggle for more justice in tourism to the Holy Land.

PIRT expanded to include also the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Holy Land Association for Incoming Tourism and the Arab Hotel Association. On 24th October 2007, the Initiative organised a first workshop for local tourism stakeholders to discuss current issues and challenges and to work out tools for change. More than 80 participants attended the workshop and mandated the organisers to come up with a code of ethics for tourists and the local tourism industry.